“No! We Won’t Die!”

“No! We Won’t Die!”By Emil Kubek

No! We won’t die!
The winter has passed, spring has arrived…
Our race has awakened, and we are alive!
Blizzards and storms become gentle spring showers,
Which brighten the forests and water the flowers;
And the whole world sings from the depth of its chest:
Christos voskres! Christos voskres!

No! We won’t die!
A spirited nation can never be killed,
So long as we place our faith in God’s will!
But we’ve had to endure and have suffered for years,
Nothing would help bring an end to our tears.
But now rays from heaven slowly ease our distress:
Christos voskres! Christos voskres!

No! We won’t die!
For the poor are protected from sickness and strife,
By a masculine faith, so we charge into life!
We protect what’s been given to us by our fathers,
And we’re never ashamed of our hard-working mothers.
We trust in our church and proudly profess:
Christos voskres! Christos voskres!

No! We won’t die!
No matter how far we carry our cross,
Our father’s inheritance will never be lost.
We’ve starved and went hungry but have persevered,
Our love of our homeland is mixed with our tears,
We’re fearless and rugged, and will pass every test.
Christos voskres! Christos voskres!

No! We won’t die!
The Lord has revealed his justice and truth,
And we will defend his church from abuse.
As Christ walked to Golgotha, the crowds brutally beat him,
From the cross, he promised salvation and freedom.
He’ll raise up the poor, the weak and oppressed.
Christos voskres! Christos voskres!

No! We won’t die!
As a free people, in the land of the free,
We cherish our freedom on this side of the sea.
And so that our children will honor our lives,
We have to ensure that this freedom survives.
Together, in chorus, again we express:
Christos voskres! Christos voskres!

“No! We Won’t Die!” was first published in People’s Tales and Verses in 1922. For more information about the collection, see St. Mary’s Rectory in the West End Walking Tour. The American Rusyn Messenger republished the poem immediately after Kubek’s death in 1940. See St. Mary’s Cemetery for a close reading of the poem and additional information about Kubek’s death.